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Which motor would you prefer?

changexlt

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Oct 22, 2008
Messages
76
Location
ND
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Construction Operator
I'm trying to help dad find a semi, with a very limited budget. Most trucks I see that fall into the very cheap range have m11, 12.7, and I saw a 3176. Any good bad to either mileage range they should have had an overhaul at?
 

td25c

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Feb 14, 2009
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5,250
Location
indiana
My favorite truck engine is any big cam 855 cummins.Very strong & reliable.Easy on the wallet when you have to work on them.
 

Willis Bushogin

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Nov 6, 2007
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855
Location
NC
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owner
engines

I'm trying to help dad find a semi, with a very limited budget. Most trucks I see that fall into the very cheap range have m11, 12.7, and I saw a 3176. Any good bad to either mileage range they should have had an overhaul at?

Try to stay with a mechanical engine, you can find a bunch of older trucks that still have alot of life in them
Cummins 350 & 400 are great engines
Cat 3306 good engine
Cat 3406b good engine, lots of power, and it loves fuel
Cat 3176 was a pretty good engine
Detroit 60 series, they are electronic engines, but they are some of the better ones

I know I will get some flack from the following remarks, but this just is my opinion
Stay away from Volvo engines (older ones) the newer are better, but they cost a bunch to work on
Stay away from Cat 3116 & 3126, they were just OK engines in trucks that you didnt need to lug them, but if you are going to carry a load, they dont last
Stay away from any Cat 3208, you will be sorry if you dont listen to that one. You will usually find them in the older trucks
The 7.8 Ford in small dump trucks were an OK engine, but they wouldnt take much lugging.
Cummins M11 not the greatest engine
The International DT466 was/is a good engine, if you have to lug it
If you said, I forgot "what is the truck going to be used for?" Is it a dump truck or a road tractor
There are a lot of repoed truck out there down, so you can get a good deal on trucks. I think I just bought a 2000 Volvo Triaxle dump truck with a 12.7 Detroit. This truck looks brand new, they were asking $35,000 and I offered them $12,000.00 and they accepted $13,000.00 what a deal. I just done this today
Let us know what kind of truck you are looking for, maybe we can help
Good Luck
 
Last edited:

barklee

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Aug 4, 2009
Messages
903
Location
ohio
350 cummins is the best engine ever made. It is weak by todays standards but it will get the job done and is decent on fuel. 3406 Cat is another really good motor and you can get the horse out of them, they are pretty easy to adjust the power up. Best mid size engine is the Navistar DT466 (there is nothing that can touch it). The cat 3116 and cummins 8.3 are hit and miss. As far as when to overhaul that is really hard to say, it can vary from 500,000 miles to 2,000,000 miles. Friend of mine has a detroit 60 with 3 miliion and no major overhaul. The good news is that older trucks are dirt cheap, not hard to get a buy on a clean truck
 

Greg

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Joined
Jan 28, 2008
Messages
1,175
Location
Wi
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Excavating Contractor
Lets get the terms straight first. Motor is for electric. Engine is for internal combustion engine as in gasoline or Diesel power. Now that I have gotten over being so damn technical, lets go for a Mack E7 series 400 horse power. This engine is mechnical and does a terriffic job. I reinforce the above statements about the Volvos and 3208 Cats. Cat 3406 is also good engine.
 

Arabhacks

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Nov 9, 2009
Messages
146
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Texas
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Underemplyed Operator
Engine and motor.

Hello.

3406 and series 60 are proven winners in the OTR fleet.
A lot of tandems are old recycled OTR trucks with the sleeper removed and a new body.
This is sometimes the most cost effective option, as the OTR truck has seen a lot of miles, true, but this is highway miles, not rough service by any means.
 

changexlt

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Joined
Oct 22, 2008
Messages
76
Location
ND
Occupation
Construction Operator
It's going to be used to pull a grain hopper. Probably most it'll see is 30 miles one way.
 

Oldiron

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Joined
Dec 18, 2009
Messages
52
Location
Alberta Canada
I agree with most or the above replys
Unless you get a real good deal on an electronic truck stay away they can be a real pain to troubleshoot or repair
the Ntc cummins up to the step timed engines are good but they are an automotive governor ,top end only so you have to learn tricks to warm them up at hi (900-1100 rpm )
3406 mechanical C engines are excellent run clean decent on fuel unless you runn them hard they start well run clean at 30 seconds you set the idle and walk away
Detroits mechs were 2 strokes and if not familiar don't buy one
series 60s are electronic and can be a head ache
you are better to buy more truck than you need and if you are hauling out of fields and don't plan on spending a lot of time on the highway look for 3.90 or numerically higher rear ratios Also tall 24.5 tires are easier to get to roll in offroad conditions if geared for it:cool:
 

freedom digger

Active Member
Joined
Oct 13, 2007
Messages
40
Location
Vermont
I know they are leakers but my tandem dump a 1979 8v92 silver detroit 475+hp will pull like a son of a gun.I am retiring her for a 2003 mack E7 427hp really anxious to see the difference
 

Oldiron

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Dec 18, 2009
Messages
52
Location
Alberta Canada
I wasn't saying that they're not a decent engine but as you know they aren't like a mack, cat or cummins and trying to find somebody to fix one anymore is a bit of a chalenge
If that mack has a mack trans you're in for a bit of a learning curve
 

RonG

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Dec 2, 2003
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1,833
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Meriden ct
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heavy equipment operator
I wasn't saying that they're not a decent engine but as you know they aren't like a mack, cat or cummins and trying to find somebody to fix one anymore is a bit of a chalenge
If that mack has a mack trans you're in for a bit of a learning curve

That Mack 18 speed is one miserable SOB,isn't it?Tough as nails but what a pig to shift.Ron G
 

amtronic

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Joined
Sep 11, 2009
Messages
63
Location
Florida
Cummins. You can get parts for a Cummins at NAPA, fer crissakes. A CAT may be sexier and sound better, and may pull better, but if you are down waiting for a part to be shipped in, it ain't worth beans.
 

thejdman04

Senior Member
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Feb 6, 2006
Messages
582
Location
Illinois
Asking such a question is like asking chevy vs ford vs dodge. In my opinion the later detroit 60's arent too bad, pretty good on fuel but in my opnion the best of the best are the 855 cummins, the n14 red tops and the signature 600s.
 

daugherty102

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Mar 2, 2009
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73
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Cedar Lake, Indiana
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Equipment operator
i'd go with the 3176 cat. i got a 94 pete 378 with the 3176 with 800,000 miles on it and it's had three turbos and a new head put on and no other major problems. they have more than enough power for pullin a grain trailer and they're a good off road/on road engine and they're not that thirsty either.
 

Eric

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2007
Messages
449
Location
The great Southwest
Of the engines you listed in the 1st post I would be inclined to the 12.7 DD. They are cheaper than most to fix and the 430/470 will give you loads more power than the other's. Also the DD is a fuel squeezing son of a gun. I would suggest that what ever you buy you get an oil sample, run it on a Dyno, and check the charge air cooler. There is a guy named Kevin Rutheford on xm radio that is pretty sharp when it comes to buying used trucks. He's got a web site called cdlofit.com I am a Cummins homer and have run the Older mechnical 350's and 400 big cam and also the electronic M11 and N-14. If I had all the tea in China I would build a truck with the N-14. Caterpillar makes the finest equipment out there. Their engines are hogs as well... but they ain't Gold colored for nothing. $$$$. Have a great day.

The views expressed in this reply are solely that of the writer... me! If you don't like them that's OK!!
 

prfire20

Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2009
Messages
24
Location
MN
Occupation
construction
cats are a great engine but if your in colder weather and plugging them in slips your mind alot id go with a cummins a L-10 is a smaller engine that makes around 300 hp they seem to be a good lightweight engine remember the less the engine weighs the more you can haul
 

Muffler Bearing

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Joined
Mar 26, 2009
Messages
512
Location
Colorful Colorado
Occupation
Truck Mechanic
Of those 3 I'll just say M11 is a fine engine, sure it has a computer but I've gotten past several ECM faults just by wiggling wires and blinking out codes then looking them up. Pretty mechanic friendly and a simple system.
 
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